Avast! Antivirus Home Edition 4.1

[+warwagon 13,207]

Avast Home Edition 4.1

Avast! Antivirus Home Edition 4.1

I think it is now time for the question to be asked, does a person really have to go out and spend $50 some dollars to buy Norton and then another $25 dollars per year just to get updates?

A few weeks ago I was still leaning towards yes after having tried out AVG antivirus Free edition and having the worst luck updating it via the program (doing it via the website did work but it?s the principle of the thing).

I also didn?t like the fact that when AVG?s resident scanner would actually find a virus it would say? something to the extent of ?we found a virus we?d like to remove it for you now but we are just to lazy, please do a full system scan? ?I was thinking, man that kind of defeats the purpose. That was AVG.. now onto Avast.

I?m currently self employed doing computer repair and there are people who could use a free antivirus. They are the kinA) Have an antivirus from the year 2000 and have never updated it

B) One that just expired

C) Antivirus? Whats that?s? Whats that?

I recently went on the search again and came Upon Avast 4 Personal Edition and I must say what a gem.

The Program itself rings in about 7.5 meg which isn?t really big or at lease you tend not to think so if your downloading it via broadband but if you burn it to a cd and their cdrom doesn?t like burned cd?s and you have to re-download it over dialup, it tends to look a tad bigger lol.

Once downloaded you double click the icon and start the install

click next, and setup protection for everything that you want .

and finally install the product, and then reboot.

After returning to windows you?ll see a one time ?welcome to Avast Antivirus? screen, upon clicking on ok you?ll see your new little antivirus icons next to your clock 2 little blue balls.

Why 2 you ask? Well the ball on the left is the ?Avast! Virus Recovery Database (VRBD) Generator

The following is taken from the Avast help file to better explain what VRBD does.

********

VRDB

VRDB stands for "Virus Recovery Database"; it was known as "Integrity Database" in previous avast! versions. The aim of VRDB is to help in case when, despite all the security measures, a virus gets inside the computer and the files are infected. With the help of VRDB, it is possible to repair infected files (turn them exactly to their original state). VRBD is announced by an icon with letter "i" in the system tray (next to the clock). If the icon is animated, the database is being created right now.

VRDB PRINCIPLE

avast! creates an integrity database, i.e. it stores information about the actual state of the files, doing it three version back of each file. The database creation/maintenance is performed either when the computer is idle, or when the screen-saver is running (any screen-saver, not only the avast! one). This database, once it is created, is updated each three weeks (this value may be changed by editing avast4.ini).

If any file is infected by a virus, it is possible to repair it, i.e. turn it to its original state. If there are multiple versions of the file in the database, you can choose which version you want to restore.

********

The blue ball on Registration-Access Scanner

Registration

Upon launching avast from your desktop you?ll notice it wants a registration number. This can be obtained from the Avast website for free and is only needed to be done every 14 months.

When you launch the main application it first scans the current files in memory for any infected files and alerts you if any are found.

Or if you?re in a rush you can simply cancel the scan..

The program itself isn?t really much to look at, but you can change that, because the program is skinable. Skins can be acquired at the avast website.

Here iSorry but the board wouldn't let me post any more images. dn't let me post any more images.

so here is the url instead Sample Skin

From this box you can configure avast to scan/or not scan archived files and tell it which drives you want it to scan. You then press the start button and away it goes.

Its very straight forward and if your into neat little sliding animations and clicky sounds it has that to. It even has Alpha Blending which can be turned on in the options.

Email Protection

One thing that sets Avast apart from the rest is the fact it can scan any email program for viruses.This is done by setting the incoming and outgoing mail servers to 127.0.0.1 and routing it through Avast.

You can also turn on an option which puts a message at the end of your email letting the person know your email is clean and was scanned via avast and the virus def version number it scanned with.

http://lemarscomm.net/~a'>http://lemarscomm.net/~aP2P Protectionine-height:100%'>P2P Protection

It also protects you from viruses in the following File sharing applications.

http://lemarVirus Def Updates-height:100%'>Virus Def Updates

Virus Definition updates happen automatically when ever you are connected to the internet, what is even better is when it gets done updating a little blue box appears above your clock saying ?your virus definitions are up to date? and by default a voice will come out of your speakers saying the same thing. The vProgram Updates4pt;line-height:100%'>Program Updates

When ever a new version of the program is available a box, just like the one above appears above your clock, but this time says ?A new version of Avast is available?.? when you click it a download box opens up and it downloads and installs the application update automaticly. All you need to do is restart your computer.

http:/Pros e='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Pros

- Automatic Virus def updates

- Automatic program updates

- P2P Scanning

- Email scanning

- SmaConsle='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Cons

-you can hightlight, copy, cut,paste, a virus around your hard drive and it won't detect it until you try to open it.

All I can say is I?m never going to buy another antivirus program again. As I stated in the beginning if people need an antivirus I give them this one. For that reason If I trust it to protect them I should trust it to protect me, and I?ve been satisfied thus far.

Edited April 28, 2004 by warwagon

[noir 0]

Nice review. One thing that seems out of place though is the skin support, why would you want that in an AV program? Is there an option to not use skins?

[+BeLGaRaTh 43]

Very good review (Y) ...

I'll have to bear this program in mind for the people I build systems for, a few ask for AV software, but are not prepared to pay for it, and for obvious reasons I wont install my version/licence on their systems.

Program is that small that it can easily be stored on a USB Keychain with plenty of space to spare :)

Similar to noir, the skinnability is a bit of an iffy thing, but as long as it doesn't take away from the functionality of the program, who am I to complain :) After all most people like to have all their apps looking exactly the same nowadays HeHe

Cheers warwagon.

[edit]

One thing I woul add to your post is the URL as I am sure there will be someone who doesn't know how to use google etal to find their webpage, and ask what it is :p

[/edit]

Edited April 28, 2004 by BeLGaRaTh

[semifamous 0]

I could never get used to the Interface myself. It takes a lot of getting used to since buttons aren't labeled except with a tooltip. There's a Skull, an "A", and a lightning bolt. Those aren't exactly self-explanatory...

[LOC 1,170]

Not to rain on your review, because it was a very good review. But Avast has a horrible track record for detection failures with VB.

Avast's Record

Just keep that in mind before you start putting Avast on a huge amount of machines there.

Again, it was a very good review, so I don't want you to think I'm crapping on it or anything. I just feel everyone should know Avast's past problems before deciding to use it.

[+warwagon 13,207]

well the current XP test passed

[Redestium 1]

Avast didn't detect a trojan on my system (self inflicted for testing purposes), so I switched to NOD32.

[+warwagon 13,207]

well is its detection process good... yes and no ....no in the fact you can highlight / move / copy / cut / paste an infected file around but yes for as soon as you go to open it .... it detects the virus. so technially if you ever come in contact with a virus it should stop it before it infects you

[treidus 0]

Avast didn't detect a trojan on my system (self inflicted for testing purposes), so I switched to NOD32.

when did avast! become an anti trojan? it didnt because its an anti-VIRUS. if you wanted something to fix trojan infections, get an anti-trojan instead.

i dont see whats wrong with its detection either. hardly anyone uses ME and 2000, even though popular with people with old machines, isnt AS popular as XP. and if someone is using NT as a server (i think its a server OS), why not purchase an anti-virus since the person can apparently afford those servers to use the OS on?

[+warwagon 13,207]

you'd be suprised how many people have windows 98 ...i'd say as far as for calls I get i'd say 70% have 98

[uniacidz 8]

Not to rain on your review, because it was a very good review. But Avast has a horrible track record for detection failures with VB.

Avast's Record

Just keep that in mind before you start putting Avast on a huge amount of machines there.

Again, it was a very good review, so I don't want you to think I'm crapping on it or anything. I just feel everyone should know Avast's past problems before deciding to use it.

That is true. But what about AVG? Dont they have some past and current problems?

Test results HERE

Excellent review and yes Avast is better then AVG in regards to free scanners. But you get what you pay for. Want something better, you have to pay for it.

[LOC 1,170]

Yeah, I always mention how badly AVG does on there. Which is why I've been a NOD32 user for years now.

[Daniel F. 599]

very nice review, if you run out of allowance for pics you could add em as a second post. (see [purl=http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=78875]FAQ[/url] for what i mean).

[alpoinacan 0]

Nice work and great effort!

I have to agree with the FREE point. Its good for a free A/V and

I think I would pick this over Norton AV in any of its releases. If

you want the best, choose and pay for NOD32.

If I had to install a free A/V I would certainly choose this product.

I'm going to d/l it and test it out to see how well it works.

[Thingfish 0]

Im overwheled with joy, at all the NOD users.

I have been preaching the benefits of NOD32, since the late 90's.

Since 1999 , i have been a yearly renewer of NOD32 on a 4 pc network , here at home.

It has never let me down.

[Neoranga 0]

Fantastically well writen review!!

But I am a stubborn one and will stick with my trusty NAV :alien:

[Daniel F. 599]

congrats this made the front page Neowin Member reviews

[kennyout 4]

well done review...

my brother has this anti-virus.....

me wonders if he knows how to use it properlly...

also i never heard of it(or remembered it), when he mentioned it to me like a month ago....suprized someone uses it...

[canadian397 0]

i used AVG Antivirus Free Edition and then about 2 weeks ago my dad came home and said his work had extra licenses for Avast! Antivirus Pro. Edition. I was so happy! I'm lovin this program. One thing i recommend, get the simple skin, easier to understand

[Oblivion 0]

nicely done review buddy :)

[Patrick_ 0]

Not to rain on your review, because it was a very good review. But Avast has a horrible track record for detection failures with VB.

Avast's Record

Just keep that in mind before you start putting Avast on a huge amount of machines there.

Again, it was a very good review, so I don't want you to think I'm crapping on it or anything. I just feel everyone should know Avast's past problems before deciding to use it.

That may be true, but then look at AVG's record, and other free AV's records. Even worse. Plus, out of 595 viruses, Avast found 585, AVG only 563, norton 590.

Avast truly rocks.

[Mr.Vorvii 0]

Nice review warwagon

I agree.

Avast is the best of free antivirus program.

I thought it better than AVG too. :yes:

[Jon 5]

In my experience, AVG always out performs AVAST.

Infact I've never known an AV solution to miss so many infections as AVAST.

The key thing to be aware of is that AVG's trojan+spyware detection is limited. When it comes to worms, exploit code, AVG is the boy.

Hell AVAST has a pretty skinned looking GUI. Anyone who knows anything about security knows that the last thing you do is bloat security software, let alone with skins! To me that said a lot about their focus.

Infact I recently had to clean a small network which was riddled with RPC and LSASS worms. AVAST did an absolutely p1ss poor job of terminating processes and removing viruses, it completely failed infact. It grabbed a few bits of spyware and some other harmless viruses, but it didn't even remotely deal with the active worm processes. Neither did Trends Homecall webbased scanning. Infact I was quite shocked given the number of people who I respect who'd recommended AVAST on neowin.

The only two that did the job where AVG and McAfee's VS7.1.

[tronmaster 0]

Nice review, question regarding the registration...

Why do you have to register every 14 months? I thought the program is free? My boss is planning to use this on his home computer, but I want to make sure that if he doesn't register, he will be able to still have his program working?

Thanks.

[tintin 0]

i cant help to say it's much much better than Norton .